Nation
THE STATES
Bauchi
The Bauchi State Police Commissioner, Malam Lawal
Shehu said last Saturday that one suspect had been arrested in connection with Friday’s attack on an hotel in Bauchi metropolis.
Briefing newsmen on the arrest made, Lawal said that the suspect was being interrogated and efforts intensified to apprehend his accomplices that fled.
He urged members of the public to be security conscious and observe happenings within their immediate environment and advised the general public to pay special attention to persons and objects, particularly at motor parks, market places, schools, places of worships, shopping malls, eateries and hotels.
“They should report any suspicious persons or objects within their neighbourhood, to the nearest police station for prompt response, using these numbers – 08151849417 and 07013490795, he said.
FCT
The National President, Defence and Police Officers
Wives Association (DEPOWA), Mrs Mary Badeh, has reaffirmed the commitment of the association to support barracks community.
Badeh made the pledge in Abuja on Saturday at a send-off party organised for Mrs Aminat Ibrahim, the former president of the association and four coordinators who served during her tenure.
“Let me use this medium to reaffirm the commitment of DEPOWA to continue to provide the necessary support and encouragement to the families of our members and the barrack community.
“I will not fail to acknowledge the support of the former Chief of Defence Staff and his successor to the aspirations of DEPOWA,’’ she said.
She added that the association also honoured Ibrahim for her kindness within and outside the barracks community, and
Some of the achievements of the former president to include the successful hosting of DEPOWA Week and the rehabilitation and restructuring of its secretariat building.
She also commended Ibrahim for the purchase.
Kaduna
The Kaduna State government spends N110 million
monthly on refuse disposal, the Commissioner for Environment, Alhaji Kasimu Abubakar, has said.
Abubakar who made the disclosure last Saturday while addressing newsmen in Hayin Banki community in Kaduna when he visited the area to inspect the monthly sanitation exercise said the government engaged the services of 91 refuse disposal companies to dispose refuse across the state.
He said the companies employed 2,700 sanitation workers to dispose refuse adding that the government was consulting with private organisations and individuals to set up recycling plants in the state that would use the refuse to produce fertiliser.
The commissioner urged the people of the community to observe the monthly sanitation exercise by staying at home and cleaning their environment.
Kano
The Kano State Task Force on Environmental Sanitation
realised N352,200 from fines imposed by mobile courts on 144 defaulters of the June edition of the monthly clean-up exercise in the state.
The Commissioner for Environment and Chairman of the task force, Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas, announced this on Saturday in Kano while monitoring the conduct of the exercise in the metropolis that the defaulters were apprehended and tried for non-compliance and violation of the order on restriction on movement of people during the exercise.
Abbas told newsmen that the courts operated at 10 designated centres in the metropolis, adding that government would soon inaugurate the task force in each local government area to ensure proper compliance.
Kogi
The Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Mr Yomi Awoniyi,
has urged Mostems to pray for an end to the security challenge in the country during Ramadan period.
In a statement signed by his Press Secretary, Mr Michael Abu in Lokoja last Saturday. Awoniyi enjoined Muslims to use the holy month to maximise the spiritual and physical benefits inherent in it.
He identified good intention, prayers and firmness of purpose in the pursuit of good deeds as conditions for reaping the benefits of the holy month.
Awoniyi said Ramadan was one of the five pillars of Islam and urged Muslims to be proactive in their decisions and actions that would ensure their participation in the fasting.
He called on preachers to guard their utterances during the fasting period, urging them to preach the true teachings of Islam rather than engage in mutual accusation.
Kwara
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has
urged Mostems to use the Ramadan as a period of reflection and pray for peace to reign in Nigeria.
A statement signed by Mr Kunle Oyatomi, the party’s Director of Publicity, Strategy and Research last Saturday in Osogbo.
Chairman, Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, Dr Bukola Saraki, also urged Muslims to use the opportunity of Ramadan to pray for the restoration of peace in the country.
“I give thanks to Almighty Allah for keeping us alive and healthy to witness and partake in another Month of Ramadan; the month of forgiveness, mercy and abundant blessings. “I urge the Muslim to use the opportunity of this month’s divinity to get closer to Almighty Allah and wish them a successful Month of Holiness’’, he said.
Osun
The Speaker, Osun State House of Assembly, Mr Najeem
Salaam has urged Muslim faithful to use the Ramadan period to offer special prayers for the country’s peace and unity.
Salaam made the appeal in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Goke Butika, Sunday in Osogbo.
According to the statement, the holy month of Ramadan is a period dedicated to seek the face of Allah and urged Muslims to use the occasion to pray for peace and tranquility in the country.
Salaam said with fervent prayers, he believed that the current security challenges threatening the country would be surmounted.
The speaker, however, appealed to clerics to lay emphasis on peace and harmony among Nigerians in their teachings.
Oyo
Former Governor of Oyo State, Adebayo Alao-Akala has
urged Mostems in the country to use the Ramadan fasting period to pray for the nation’s development.
Alao-Akala, who made the call in Ogbomoso last Saturday, urged Muslims to be steadfast in prayers.
He said Ramadan was a symbolic month meant to move closer to God and called on the Muslims to pray very hard for the nation and that the progress recorded so far was a pointer that the nation would soon attain the enviable position it desired. .
The former governor, who wished Muslims smooth and successful fasting for the next 30 days, urged them to emulate the life and ways of the holy Prophet Muhammed.
Sokoto
The Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) in Sokoto State
said last Sunday that it would wrest power from the ruling All Progressives Congress ( APC) in the state in 2015.
The newly-elected Chairman of the party, Alhaji Ibrahim Milgoma, told newsmen in Sokoto that the party is intact and united. There will be no retreat or surrender until we take over the government in 2015.”
According to him, the leadership of the party in the state will ensure that the choice of candidates for the various elections is respected.
“The choice of the people will prevail. There will be no imposition of candidates and we will do everything humanly possible to ensure free, fair and acceptable polls,” Milgoma said.
Milgoma said that PDP was blessed with members who were experienced enough in electioneering campaigns.
“This experience will come to bear during the upcoming elections and the party will emerge victorious at all levels.”
Taraba
The police in Jalingo confirmed that unknown gunmen
last Saturday trailed and killed 13 Fulani herdsmen who were returning from village markets in Garba-Chede and Maihula.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the police command in Taraba State ASP Joseph Kwaji, made the disclosure on Sunday in Jalingo.
He said the herdsmen were waylaid and killed by unidentified group of armed youths along a bush path in the outskirts of Maihula in Bali Local Government Area of the state.
He added that it was not clear why the incident took place but further investigation would be able to reveal the reasons for the attack and the people behind it.
The Chairman of Bali Local Government Area, Mr Andrew Yerima, said the herdsmen were trailed by the armed men from Garba-Chede market where they were believed to have gone to sell their cows.
Nation
Cleric Preaches Love As Deputy Governor, Chief Judge Grace Wedding In PH
The Presiding Bishop of Kingdom Life Gospel Ministries Outreach, Port Harcourt, Bishop Victor Uzosike, has described love as the bedrock of human existence, family stability and societal harmony, stressing that without love, nothing meaningful can thrive.
Bishop Uzosike made this assertion while speaking to journalists during the wedding ceremony of his daughter, Praise Uzosike, to Architect Chibuzor Akubueze on Saturday, December 20, 2025. The solemnisation was held at the Kingdom Life Gospel Ministries Outreach, Port Harcourt, and was attended by dignitaries from across Nigeria and beyond.
According to the cleric, love is not only the foundation of relationships but also a powerful force that determines the success of individuals, families and communities.
“If you do not love a place, that place will not bless you. If you do not love your children, they will not be useful to you. If you do not love your family, your family will become a strange island to you. What you do not love, you do not have. Love is the key,” he said.
Reflecting on his family’s journey, Bishop Uzosike said God’s love had sustained them through seasons of challenges and triumphs, noting that unity had remained their greatest strength.
“We have stayed together as one family. God has shown us love in miraculous and mysterious ways, especially during difficult times,” he stated.
Describing the wedding as an amazing and beautiful experience, the bishop expressed appreciation for the show of love from his daughter’s friends, many of whom travelled from the United Kingdom and Ghana to attend the ceremony. He revealed that some of them personally paid for their flights and accommodation, which he described as a rare display of genuine friendship.
He also disclosed that his first daughter, who lives in Manchester, United Kingdom, with her husband, could not attend the wedding due to tight schedules, but noted that she remains happily married and fulfilled.
While thanking guests for honouring his family with their presence, prayers and goodwill, Bishop Uzosike said he felt proud and grateful to God.
“One of the greatest gifts God can give to a man is children who are sound in all ramifications. My children can see, hear, speak and walk. That alone is enough reason to be grateful,” he said.
He praised the bride, describing Praise as an exceptional achiever who had distinguished herself academically. According to him, she completed secondary school at 15, graduated with First Class honours at 19, and earned distinctions in her MBA as well as her first and second master’s degrees.
“For a long time, people believed that highly educated women may not marry early or at all. Today, Praise has proved otherwise. She has made her mother and me very proud,” he said, describing her as a rare gem.
Bishop Uzosike also expressed joy over his son-in-law, whom he described as God-fearing, disciplined and professionally sound.
“He is well brought up, passionate about God and morally upright. His parents did a great job. My wife, Pastor Esther, also did an excellent job,” he added.
The wedding ceremony attracted prominent personalities, including the Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Prof. Ngozi Odu; the Chief Judge of Bayelsa State, Justice Matilda Ayemeyie; and several senior clerics.
Bishop Fidelis Ugbong officiated the solemnisation, while Apostle Chika Onuzo delivered the sermon, identifying communication, sex and money as key factors that can strengthen or weaken marriages.
Prof. Ngozi Odu also prayed for the couple and paid glowing tributes, drawing admiration from attendees.
The reception, held at the Golden Tulip Hotel, Port Harcourt, was equally colourful. Justice Matilda Ayemeyie proposed the toast, describing marriage as not always a bed of roses and emphasising patience, commitment and understanding.
The event was chaired by Chief Henry Nwabugo and attended by notable personalities, including retired Supreme Court Justice Mary Odili; Apostle David Zilly-Aggrey; Hon. Otunba Jumbo; Nze Best Anele; and Prof. Henry Ogiri, among others.
Guests were entertained with dance performances by the couple, while the parents’ outing added elegance to the celebration. The master of ceremonies, Ambassador Kingsley, kept the audience engaged with humour and interactive sessions.
Overall, the wedding was a remarkable blend of spirituality, culture and celebration, marked by love, joy and unforgettable moments.
Nation
2027: APC Chieftain Predicts Tinubu’s Victory …Says Bayelsa Stakeholders Supporting President en masse … IPAC Knitted Together, Working In Synergy With His Office
Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress(APC), in Bayelsa State and Special Adviser to the State Governor on Inter-Party Relations, Dr Jackson Ebi Suokiri has said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would secure landslide win in the 2027 Presidential polls.
The Governor’s Aide stated this in Yenagoa, the state capital on Wednesday while fielding questions from newsmen against the backdrop of Tuesday’s pioneer Stakeholders meeting of the party convened by the State Governor, Senator Douye Diri as leader of the Party in the State upon his recent defection late last year.
He averred that Party stakeholders in the state were prepared to give the President the massive support needed to return elected, come 2027 following his sterling trajectory of performance and qualitative leadership prowess.
Dr Suokiri stressed that the reason for the governor’s swapping of party was in the best interest of the state, while also noting that the governor took the right decision as there was no need continuing with opposition politics even as the state has to align with the national government for rapid socioeconomic and political advantages for the state and its people.
“Governor Diri’s defection like you’ve personally heard him saying was for the best interest of our state, Bayelsa. When you’ve a President performing well at the national level and being very supportive to your state as a governor, I don’t think you’ve to be in an opposition party anymore, but rather align with the centre.
“Diri is a bridge builder. He is at peace with everybody and willing to work with all, irrespective of party affiliations or political differences for the interest of the state.
“As Stakeholders we’ve resolved to collectively work to return President Tinubu elected for second term in 2027. And you can see the Governor is not pressuring anybody or the structure of his former party, the PDP to defect like he has done.
“The PDP structure in the state is still intact, and for the APC, his new Party even as current leader in the State, he has been working with the structure and everybody he met on ground, hence you can see that the APC Caretaker Committee led by Dr. Dennis Otiotio has been maintained at the pioneer Stakeholders meeting convened by the Governor.
“But you must also know like you’ve seen and I’ve previously said that Governor Diri has outperformed expectations of Bayelsans in all sectors, be it economy, infrastructure, health, education, etc.”, he said.
Meanwhile, as against insinuations that some political parties were not working with the office of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Inter-Party Relations, the Governor’s Aide has revealed that as it were currently, all the 19 registered political parties with presence in the state are working in unity with his office as members of the Inter-party advisory council (IPAC).
“IPAC is working in unity with my office. Before the Governor’s defection the only party that wasn’t working with my office was the APC. But since after his formal defection, the APC and even those other parties that were either sympathetic to the APC, the governor’s new party or the PDP, his former Party are all now working together with my office as members of IPAC”, Suokiri added.
By Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
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